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Better Selves

Minnesota
United States
Better Selves, Able Seedhouse + Brewery
Judges Ratings 
1 Review
73
Aroma:
14 / 24
Flavor:
30 / 40
Appearance:
5 / 6
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
15 / 20
Description 

Able Seedhouse + Brewery in Northeast Minneapolis is proud to unveil the newest addition to the brewery’s carefully crafted and well-intentioned core beer offerings.
Better Selves, the new unfiltered IPA, is named after an elevation of thought and action. “The name comes from author and naturalist William Wordsworth, who liked to explore his sense of self through solitude and nature,” says Casey Holley, Able Founder. “This has become a core tenet here at Able – expressing ourselves through art, nature, community and of course, beer."
Similar to unfiltered hazy IPAs, Better Selves is built with a blend of tropical hops including Idaho 7, Bravo, and Ahtanum. White wheat and oats are added to balance out the bright citrus tones for a pillow-soft finish and smooth, silky mouth feel. The protein content in the wheat and oats gives the beer its cloudy consistency and milky straw hue.
Better Selves boasts a lower IBU (International Bitterness Units), an attractive quality to a host of craft fans who love the hop flavor, but not the bitterness. A 4.4% ABV also makes it a flavorful, versatile option rounding out Able’s core selection.
“Better Selves is not a version of what most people would call a hazy IPA,” says Able Head Brewer Bobby Blasey. “Ours is lighter, cleaner, and much more delicate. Often hazy IPA’s have twice the number of hops and a high ABV, which make them much bolder. Better Selves is mellow with an easy drinking nature.”

Beverage Profile
ABV: 
4.4%
IBUs: 
10
Served at: 
40 - 42º F
Hops: 
Idaho 7, Bravo, Ahtanum
Malts: 
American Two-Row, White Wheat, Flaked Oats
Judges Review 
Sean Coughlin's picture
Judges Rating:
73
Aroma:
14 / 24
Appearance:
5 / 6
Flavor:
30 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
15 / 20

Better Selves by Able Seedhouse and Brewery is an American IPA and is being evaluated as such by the current BJCP guidelines for that category (BJCP 2015 Category 21A). 

The aroma features some tropical hops with notes of dried mango and apricot supported by underlying floral honeysuckle. The aroma is a bit faint overall for the style but what is present is inviting. A faint malt character is buried underneath – bready base malts only, there is no caramel malt present. The beer is a dull yellow with moderate haze and a tightly packed white head that persists well. 

This IPA is noticeably nice and dry, enhancing drinkability. Although dry, it seems a bit thin overall and perhaps a bit anemic compared to the best examples of the style. Like the aroma, the hop flavor is somewhat subdued.  Bitterness is well balanced for the size of the beer but is restrained for an IPA. Overall, the balance is slightly shifted towards hop flavor but only because the malt is so faint. 

This beer is quite approachable and drinks more like a training wheels session IPA rather than a full-fledged American India Pale Ale. The beer sacrifices flavor for drinkability and crosses the line of delicacy a bit too far. That being said, this beer is well made and would happily find its place poolside or on a riding lawnmower.